Human Rights

Mosul: UN rights chief urges civilian protection as sniper fire, airstrikes kill dozens

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A family climbs out of their destroyed home to flee minutes after an ISIS suicide car bomber detonated his vehicle on the street outside their home in the Al Andalus neighbourhood of Mosul, Iraq.

EU: Ensure Aid Reaches Refugees with Disabilities

Improve Monitoring of Refugee Assistance Funds

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Lagkadika camp, Thessaloniki, home to 234 asylum seekers and other migrants, as of January 5, 2017. The rocky terrain in many camps makes it difficult for people who use wheelchairs to move independently, including to access basic services such as toilets or showers.

Pakistan: Attacks on Schools Devastate Education

Prosecute Militant Group Violence Against Students, Teachers

Attacks by the Taliban and other militant groups are having a devastating impact on education in Pakistan, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released a day before the Second International Conference on Safe Schools in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Jordan: Bar Entry or Arrest Sudan’s Bashir

ICC Members Should Not Allow Fugitives on Their Territories

Jordan should deny entry to Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir or arrest him if he enters the country, Human Rights Watch said on Mar 26. Al-Bashir has been invited to visit Jordan on March 29, 2017, to attend the 28th summit of the Arab League, news reports say.

Yemen: Attack on Refugee Boat Likely War Crime

Failed Investigations into Abuses as War Turns 2

An apparent Saudi-led coalition attack on a boat carrying Somali civilians off the coast of Yemen highlights the need for accountability on the second anniversary of the Yemeni armed conflict, Human Rights Watch said on Mar 26. Several witnesses reported that on March 16, 2017, a helicopter fired on the boat, killing at least 32 of the 145 Somali migrants and refugees on board and one Yemeni civilian. Another 29, including six children, were wounded, and 10 more remain missing. Photos of the boat taken the next day show damage consistent with gunfire from an aerial attack.

UN: New Move on North Korea Crimes

Human Rights Council Opens Door to Prosecution Strategies

The United Nations Human Rights Council has brought North Korea another step closer to accountability for human rights crimes, Human Rights Watch said on Mar 24. A resolution, passed without a vote on March 24, 2017, strengthens the UN’s work to assess and develop strategies to prosecute grave violations in North Korea.

Burma: UN Takes Key Step for Justice

Human Rights Council Orders International Fact-Finding Mission

The United Nations Human Rights Council on March 24, 2017, took a key step toward preventing future abuses and bringing justice for victims in Burma by adopting a strong resolution condemning violations and making significant recommendations, Human Rights Watch said on Mar 24.

Egypt: Aya Hijazi's Trial a Travesty

Postponed Verdict Caps Extensive Fair Trial Violations

A Cairo court’s decision on March 23, 2017 to postpone issuing its verdict in the case of Aya Hijazi and the Belady Foundation for Street Children casts a further shadow on the ability of Egypt’s judicial system to deliver justice in this bizarre case, Human Rights Watch said on Mar 24. Hijazi and her co-defendants, including her husband, have been held in custody since their arrest in May 2014, well beyond the two-year limit for pretrial and provisional detention under Egyptian law, and the frequently postponed proceedings have been marked by serious fair trial violations. The court provided no reason for postponing its verdict.

Kenya: Protect Somalis Facing Conflict, Abuses, Drought

Make Concrete Commitments During Summit

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Somali refugees waiting to board buses that will take them back to Somalia after the Kenya government annouced the closure of the Dadaab refugee camps in 2016.

UN spotlights slave descendants’ legacy of achievements, overcoming ‘dark chapter of human history’

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The Ark of Return, the Permanent Memorial to Honour the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, located at the Visitors' Plaza of UN Headquarters in New York.

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